Differentials are known in the mechanical arts and are commonly used in the automotive industry. Generally, a differential is a device that receives an input force through a mechanical linkage and divides that input force into two or more output forces. The output forces are delivered to different mechanical components. In the automobile industry, differentials are commonly used to divide force (in the form of torque) generated by a vehicle engine between the front two or the rear two wheels of the vehicle. Differentials are typically arranged to divide the torque generated by the engine between two wheels of a vehicle such that the wheels receive generally equal torque while being capable of rotating at two different speeds. Such an arrangement increases the handling of a vehicle, decreases damage to tires, and decreases strain on the vehicle's powertrain. For example, when a vehicle turns a corner, the outer wheel travels a father distance than the inner wheel. In a vehicle not equipped with a differential, such cornering results in the inner tire spinning or the outer tire dragging. For a vehicle equipped with a differential, the inner tire is allowed to rotate at a slower speed than the outer tire, which reduces or eliminates handling issues and unnecessary wear as the vehicle rounds a corner.
In addition to directing torque generated by the engine to the wheels of a vehicle such that wheels may rotate at different speeds, differentials also commonly serve as gear reducers. This gear reducing function slows the rotational speed of the transmission before the torque is directed to the wheels.
As differentials are important to the automobile industry, as sell as to the mechanical arts in general, there is an ongoing need for novel mechanisms for differentials and novel methods for using differentials.